Wilderness Youth Project
Visit Partner SiteMission
The mission of Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) is to foster confidence, health, and a lifelong love of learning for young people and families through active outdoor experiences and mentoring.
About
Nature connection makes life better for kids. Time in nature makes kids happier and healthier. Wilderness Youth Project connects kids to nature in small groups guided by expert mentors during the school day, after school and in summer.
Events & Projects
Programs
Bridge to Nature Subsidized Programs
At the heart of WYP is a belief that connection to the land is a birthright that belongs to all people from the beginning of time. Wilderness Youth Project’s Bridge to Nature programs serve our community and meet participants where they already are, at our partner organization sites and at schools. Our Bridge to Nature programs exist as a way to bring WYP to locations that have more limited nature access at no cost to participants. These programs, paired with the opportunities to join summer camps, allow participants to maintain consistent and reliable connections with our mentors.
Community Events
Throughout the year we offer opportunities to connect, play outdoors, and learn more about WYP. Our spring Connection Luncheon is a chance to hear from our team. Spring also brings weekend campouts. Summer offers full moon kayak outings.
Outdoors for Preschoolers
Woolly Bears and Chickadees are outdoor preschool programs during the school year in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. Children connect with nature through play, curiosity and awareness. Developmentally appropriate routines include gratitude circles, games, and songs— all mirroring the patterns of surrounding nature. By experiencing seasonal transitions outdoors, children have the opportunity to cultivate a heightened awareness of the subtleties of nature. They direct their own learning by investigating curiosity and ultimately can experience a deep sense of place. These opportunities for growth provide a foundation for physical, emotional, and social intelligence that lasts a lifetime.
REACH Fellowship
REACH is a two-and-a-half-year experiential program for motivated high school students facing financial barriers to postsecondary education. By combining traditional learning with nature-based learning, we cultivate each student’s abilities to traverse from high school to their postsecondary goal with confidence. REACH establishes connections with community partners and Fellows so that they make well-informed decisions in and out of academia.
School Year Programs
WYP programs provide fun, adventure, and learning outdoors Circle of Thanksgiving—Sharing words of gratitude Awareness Games—Scout skills, blindfolded drum stalk, camouflage, animal forms, and more Wandering—Outdoor exploring nature Storytelling—Telling stories with words, journaling, acting Art of questioning—The answer always leads to more questions… Sit Spot—Knowledge of place, quiet reflection, observation and experience Crafts & Skills—Learn fire by friction, cordage, tracking, archery and more while building relationships with materials from nature
Summer Programs
Participants meet for a 1-2 week summer session, at various spots throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Montecito. Most programs have 12 youth and use 15-passenger vans to travel to different resource-rich locations each week, such as the creeks, beaches and open spaces in Santa Barbara’s abundant front country. Every program has a 4:1 ratio of children to adults. Participants explore and learn in these beautiful natural places: playing games designed to build awareness, gaining naturalist skills, following their own curiosity, discovering the plants and animals in the area, making crafts and deepening their connection to the natural world.
The Sea League
Goodbye screen time We treat the ocean like an outdoor classroom where surfing, swimming, kayaking, SUPing, and free-diving create culture around an ecosystem. We build real-life relationships that last a lifetime. Hello citizen scientists We’re not just trying to make more surfers. The Sea League encourages youth to explore ocean habitats beyond recreation and pursue careers and education in the outdoors. The Sea League is removing the barriers of entry and giving kids ages 6-13 the opportunity to consistently practice being in the ocean. We’re innovating how seasonal recreational sports can influence our youth. We’re tapping into the same knowledge and dedication to a craft that we see in volunteer driven sports programs around the US, and adding the layer of nature connection that inherently comes with ocean sports. Self discovery and environmental awareness is built into where we play.
How To Support
Plan
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Impact
Support local non-profit partners aligned with your passion for the outdoors. Make your trips climate positive.